Shrimp-catching device



March 11 ",j 1-924.

v J. H. 'FRISSELL SHRIMP a m came DEVICE F11 5 Jan; 19'. 1921.

I N VEN TOR uo m/w. Fp sssLL.

WIATTORNEK.

Patented Mar. 11, 1924.

UNHTED STATES" PATENT? @FFEICJQ,

JOHN H. FRISSELL, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

SHRIMP-CATGHIN G DEVICE.

Application filed January 19, 1921. Serial No. 438,368.

This invention relates to a fishing appara' tus, and particularlypertains to means for catching shrimp. 1

vention to provide a shrimp catching apparatus adapted to be mounted ona boat, and to continuously operate as the boat moves to catch andelevate shrimp from the water into the boat, said structure being sodesigned as to be readily drawn from its operative position and storedupon the boat for immediate use.

The present invention contemplates the use of a cage structure having aforward opened end which is adjustably submerged in the water, andwithin which structure an elevator mechanism is provided to lift theshrimps from the bottom of the cage to a point on the deck.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in section and elevation showing thepresent invention as applied to the end of a boat.

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation showing the details of construction ofthe invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates a boat orother suitable floating vessel. Supported at the forward end of the boatis the shrimp catching device 11, with which the present invention isconcerned. This structure comprises a cage having sides 12 and a floor13, all of which members are formed with a rigid frame work over whichreticulated material is stretched. The floor 13 has an inclined portionadapted to form the floor of a chute.

communicating with the boat at a point above the water. The side walls12 flare outwardly along the horizontal length of the floor and thenextend parallel up the inclined floor portion. A trap board 14 isdisposed across the flared outer end of the cage, and is set at anincline to form a compartment 15, into which the shrimps may fall, andfrom which they may be carried by the elevator chain 16. This chainpasses around a drum 17, positioned within the theboat suitably pivotedto the prow of the boat, the other being pivoted to the bottom of the Tocompartment 15, and also a drum 18 mounted at the upper end of thetrough portion of the cage. The conveyor 16 is formed with a pluralityof buckets 19, adapted to engage co the mass of shrimps and pile themonto the conveyor belt, after which they will be thrown off as theconveyor passes over the drum 18. A receiving platform 20 will thencatch the shrimps and conduct them into a ct compartment 21 in the boat.It is the principal object of the present in- The ca e is movablysupported relative to y a link 22, one end of which is cage, as shown inFig. 1. The length of this link and the point of its pivotal connectionis such as to permit the cage to swing upwardly and rearwardly over therail of the boat when not desired. Removable brace rs members 23 act tohold the cage in its operative position. Supporting rollers 24: aresecured to the rail of the boat, and tend to support the cage as it ismoved into and out of position for operation. The outer end of on thecage is supported by a boom 25, suitably pivoted to a mast 26. Ahoisting rope 27 is led over a pulley 28 at the end of the mast, and itsouter ends made to form sling members 29, secured to the forward end ofthe on cage. The boom may be raised and lowered by a rope 30 led over apulley 31 at the top of the mast and suitably secured to a cleat 32.

In order to prevent damage to the struce0 ture in the event that shoalsare encountered, shoes 33 are pivotally secured beneath the forward edgeof the cage and would tend to ride over these shoals and lift the cage.

In operation of the present invention the as structure is normally setup as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the fishing grounds arereached the boom is lowered. This will cause the cage 11 to swingforwardly and downwardly over the rollers 2%, me after which the cable27 may be adjusted to place the mouth and floor of the cage in theirproper working positions. The boat may then be driven forwardly, atwhich time the shrimps will be forced up over the ice member 14, andwill then fall into the trap compartment 15. Movement of the conveyor bysuitable driving means 3 1 will act to elevate the shrimps into theboat.

It will thus be seen that the device here no disclosed is of simpleconstruction and operation, and may be readily moved out of and intoposition for commercially catching shrimps'in large quantities and smallcost.

7 art, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as claimed.

Having thu described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patcut is:

. 1. A device of the character described,

comprising a cage member formed of re-' ticulated material, the frontand rear ends of said cage being open, a sem1-cyl1ndr1cal trap memberformed 1n the cage, an 1nclined trap board associated with the trap andadapted 'to direct the shrimps within the trap, and a CODNGYOIllELVlIlgone end positioned within and concentric with'the V trap and toelevatethe shrimps from the V trap through therear end of the cage;

2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a boat hull, acage member formed of reticulated material, the ends of said cage beingopen, a chute formed as V a part of the cage and angularly disposed inrelation; thereto, a semi-oylindric'al-trap formed within the cage,qaninclined trap associated with; the trap and adaptedto direct the shrimpswithin'the trap, a conveyor .mechanism interposed between the; boat hulland the trap and having its lowermost end positioned concentric with thetrap, buckets on said conveyor, and link means for adj ust ablysupporting the cage and chute in its operative position.

3. An apparatus of the character des scrlbed comprising a cage formedofretlculated 1naterial,-the' said cage formed of formed as anextensionof the cage and sip parallel top and floor sections, a chute Vtending angularly therefrom the said cage having open ends, asemi-cylindrical trap "disposed within f the cage, anfinclined trapboard connected to'the floor of the cageat a point adjacent the: mouththereof and extending and connecting to the semiecylindricall trap, theopen portion of said "trap being angularly disposed in relation {to'thefloor of'thecage, and a conveyor mechanism for elevating the shrimpsfrom the trap the't P-V V i is 1 V N ILFRI L throughthe'chute, the'lower end of said conveyor being 1 arranged concentric with

